Love Won Love Lost
by Goddess Bless
Summary: Haley needed someone to love, and Harry could not help himself. Sometimes the heart wants what it wants, despite what the brain does. Harry wants to love Ginny, just like Haley wants to love Aaron. They can't, but they do love each other. HP/HH


**This is a quick One-Shot written for Challenge King. I would have never shipped these two together, myself, however I enjoyed the challenge. I wrote this in a very deliberate manner, I didn't want it to bash Ginny or Aaron. It is simply put, that sometimes no matter what we want from life, our hearts have other plans. If anyone else has any other stories that they want to see, or want me to write, let me know and I'll try to oblige. You never know until you ask, though I reserve the right to refuse.**

**Anyway, I hope that you like this little story!**

* * *

Harry was at a coffee shop just outside of DC and looking decidingly not like himself. He was wearing a high collard trench coat, completely reasonable because of the rain. He was, however, completely unreasonably wearing sunglasses. It was raining out, thus the need for shades was for a completely other reason. A completely more nefarious reason.

His reason was showing up at his corner booth right now. She was dressed much like he was, with shades and other personal items to hide her appearance. She was so incredibly beautiful to him, however. Nothing could ever make her look anythis less than that, and Harry's heart skipped a beat as she laid a hand across his and whispered her hellos.

He really shouldn't have been here. They were both married, and yet, nothing in the world felt more right than when he was with her. Ginny. Harry internally sighed. Marrying her after the war was a mistake, he knew that from the very start, and yet he couldn't leave her. Leaving her would mean leaving the only family that he had ever known, it would meant everyone finally realizing that he wasn't the perfect husband and person that he fronted being.

His secret love smiled at him and rose to collect her own coffee. Haley, he mused, was in a state much like he was. Married to a man who was married more to his work than anything else. She still loved him, Harry knew, however her and her husband's relationship was ending, quickly. Going down in flames was a better explanation. She returned to the booth and the two shared a secret smile that made both hearts flutter.

"I've missed you." Harry murmured to her, his British accent making her stomach twist in a way that could only be excitement.

Haley smiled at him in a way that made Harry come alive like he never had before. "I've missed you too." They sat in comfortable silence for a while. They didn't need to talk, they never had, really. Most times they would just meet and have coffee. Other times they would meet at the park and Harry would bring along his children, and she would bring along Jack.

Some might view it as wrong, using their children to meet, however their need to see each other was overwhelming at times. Jack and Albus were the same age, convenient for a play date and that suited the two just fine. Haley knew that Harry worked as some kind of low-level ambassador between his country and hers, and that gave him the excuse to be out and about often. They would sneak in their brief meetings.

One time, when Aaron had been away, the two had gone on a weekend get away to Myrtle Beach together. It had been amazing. A weekend of nothing but waves and each other. Though neither would ever regret their children, both Harry and Haley often wondered, late at night, what life would have been like if the two had met earlier. Would they be together? Would this infidelity exist as it did now?

Harry tickled the palm of her hand with affection and that drew a laugh from his love's lips. She was beautiful, all athletically built and blonde. A complete opposite to his short but willowy, dark features. She was the light to his dark, even if she was his darkest secret. He had a feeling that Ginny suspected; however he couldn't find it within himself to care. It wasn't as though she was a horrible wife, quite the contrary she was perfect. However, she had never gotten over her hero-worshiping stage. They couldn't even fight properly because she would continuously kowtow to him. He didn't want a submissive wife: he wanted a partner.

He found that in Haley. She was so filled with life and with her own ideas. She was never afraid to bicker and fight with him, because at the end of the day those instances made their feelings stronger, the want to be together stronger. The realness of the relationship. Harry would treat her not only as the most precious jewel he could find, but also as a strong woman.

The ability to have both was incredible. They never wanted to go back to what their lives had been.

"I'm leaving him." Haley said at last, breaking the comfortable silence. This was the reason why she had called her meeting with him, despite having seen him only the night before.

"Hm?" Harry asked, wanting to let her speak before giving his opinion.

"I can't keep living like this. He has two wives, and one he treats much better- her name is the BAU." Harry sighed, he knew how difficult her life was with Aaron, however they both knew that he couldn't marry her.

"It is your decision." Harry said at last, unable to think of a better phrase.

"Harry?" Haley asked, looking at him imploringly.

"What do you want me to say, Haley?" Harry asked, not unkindly. "It is your choice, however you know where I stand."

"You could always leave Ginny." Haley responded quietly.

Harry shook his head. "It's so much more complicated than that. I wish that I could leave her, however that would mean leaving the only family I have ever known." He paused and thought about Ginny. He wished more than anything in the world that he loved his wife. He would give anything to be able to have the feelings with her, about her, which he felt for Haley.

Haley didn't push. She wanted to, truly she did. However, this conversation was old hat. She knew his reasoning, truly she did. She wanted to be angry, angry like how she was with her own husband. However, Harry hadn't wed her, he hadn't promised her forever, and had always been upfront with the unwillingness to leave his wife.

Haley drew her hand away from his and tugged down first her own sunglasses and then his. She needed to see his eyes, oh his beautiful, beautiful eyes that had mesmerized her many, many times before. If she could, she would look into them forever.

"So, this is goodbye?" Haley asked. Really, it was she that was giving the ultimatum, but she just didn't feel right about her leaving Aaron, and Harry staying with Ginny. In the end, she would just be hurting herself more if she stayed.

Harry cupped her face with one hand and held her eyes with his, wishing against every his he had ever made that this didn't have to end this way. "Only if you want it to be."

Haley looked away from him, but didn't shy from his touch. "I can't do this anymore, Harry. I wish I was stronger. I wish I could stay by your side, even if it was in secret, but I'm too selfish."

Harry shushed her. "You're not selfish, never say that. If only," his voice cracked. "If only we had met sooner, earlier in life. I would have liked to spend forever with you."

She placed her hand to his and interlaced their fingers as he still held her face tenderly. "I know." A tear fell from her eye.

"If you ever want to see me again." Harry began, keeping the door open.

"I know." Haley agreed and removed his hand from her cheek and kissed it tenderly.

They shared one last parting glance before she slipped her sunglasses back into her face, shielding her eyes from the brightness of Harry's radiance. He was her sun. She left then, though she kept stopping and staring back over her shoulder, wishing for Harry to chase her, and knowing that his hands were tied, and that he wanted to, but never could. Each time she looked back, their eyes would meet. Harry was crying, but he would nod, encouraging her to go find her own happiness, and find a partner that could be more than he or Aaron could ever be.

Harry gasped groggily and reached blindly for the phone that had been going off. "Hello?" Harry asked, still not quite awake. He grabbed his alarm clock and squinted at the fluorescently lit numbers, it was midnight.

"Hello, Harry Potter." The voice was creepy, and Harry knew that this someone was dangerous. That woke him up.

"What can I do for you Mister?"

"Foyet, George Foyet." The man said almost pleasantly. "You might know me better as the Boston Reaper."

Harry's blood froze at the thought. The case was widely known. "And what business do you have contacting me?"

There was a tsking sound from the other end of the line. "It is not I who wants to speak to you, but a young woman. I believe that she loves you very much."

"Haley." Harry whispered, sitting straight up in bed. He was lucky that he was at a hotel for the night, because he felt more panicked now than he had since the war.

There was a shifting sound and then Haley's voice flooded the receiver, she was crying. "Harry. Harry, I'm sorry." Harry gasped, a choking feeling in his throat.

"Don't apologize, Haley. You've done nothing wrong."

Haley was crying and Harry was powerless to stop it. "He's going to kill me, Harry."

"No." Harry almost shouted into the receiver. He never should have let Haley walk out of his life, nearly half a year ago. He should have followed her, dammit!

"Yes, Harry." Her voice was shaking, as though she was trying to control herself. "Please, please help Aaron, Harry." Harry nodded though she couldn't see him.

"Of course." Harry vowed, though inside he was breaking.

"And help check in with Jack?" Haley asked.

More firmly this time, Harry responded, "yes."

They were silent for a moment and Harry couldn't help the tears that were flowing from his face, the tears that he knew they were sharing. "Don't be afraid." He finally said at last. "Monsters like him feed off of fear. Don't give him the satisfaction."

"I won't." Haley promised him, though her voice betrayed her feelings.

"I love you, Haley." Harry promised her, wanting her to understand his feelings. "I wish that I could have married you, have children with you."

"I know." Haley gasped out, losing her composure for a second's time.

"Be strong." Harry said at last, wishing that there was something that he could do. This was Foyet's game, making Harry feel helpless so that he would forever blame himself for Haley's death.

"Say Goodbye now." Foyet's voice sounded on the phone and both Haley and Harry gave a gasp of unadulterated pain.

"I'll find you in the afterlife." Harry promised her.

"I'll be waiting. I love you."

"I love you too, and this isn't goodbye." Harry promised.

The receiver clicked.

Harry screamed his frustration. Every lamp and window in the hotel room shattered, like his shattered heart. He didn't know how long he had been screaming, but when he collapsed back onto the bed he could only stare out the window and feel the breeze that was coming through it.

"Haley."

Harry approached Haley's funeral and stood off to the side as he watched the others pay their respects. It was only once everyone had left before Harry approached the casket, which would be lowered and buried shortly. He placed a hand on the waxed wood. Another hand presented and placed a white rose on the deathbed.

"Hello." Harry's head started sharply and turned to see Aaron and his son, Jack.

"Harry." Jack said and reached his arms out for the younger man.

Harry looked at Aaron for permission before taking Haley's son in his arms.

"You were a friend of Haley?" Aaron questioned.

Harry nodded. "My son Albus was a frequent playmate of Jack's here." He shook Jack playfully and the boy gurgled in happiness. He was too young to understand his mother's death.

Aaron nodded and held out a hand. "I'm Aaron Hotchner."

Harry took the hand and shook it, feeling slightly dirty at hiding his and Haley's relationship. "Harry Potter. My wife couldn't make the service, she's at home with our kids- we have four."

Aaron's smile tightened painfully. "That's quite a lot. You must really love her."

Harry clasped a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "I do, she's a better woman that I'll ever deserve."

They stayed silent for a long time before Aaron reached for Jack back. Harry handed over the small boy and the two men shared eye contact.

"There's a small get together happening at my house this evening to pay respects to Haley. I'm sure that she would have liked it if you came."

Harry hesitated for a moment before obliging. "I would like that." He and Aaron started to walk. "I would hate to be alone right now."

Aaron nodded. "Me neither. Haley was."

"One hell of a woman." Harry ended and all Aaron could do was now.

"That she was."

* * *

**Short, sweet, sad, and to the point. I hope that you all enjoyed this. I wrote it quite on the fly. I'm stuck at a coffee shop near my apartment as I do not want to get caught out in the rain. It looks like I'll have to brave it, however, if I want to get home. Once again I hope that you enjoyed this little one shot. Please do not review with 'update soon' there will be no updating of this story- it is complete.**

**If anyone has any other stories that he/she would like to see, let me know!**

**Until then,**

**Cheers,**

**iBless!**


End file.
